MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – The Felician University baseball team broke out for 27 runs on 31 hits in winning a pair of non-conference games during the Northeast Challenge event at the Ripken Experience complex on Saturday. Felician defeated Molloy College, 12-7, in its morning contest before earning a 15-7 victory over the University of Bridgeport.

Molloy is ranked No. 5 and Bridgeport No. 6 in the preseason NCAA Division II East Region writers' poll. Felician is the No. 4 squad in the same poll.

Felician junior shortstop Bruce Strickland (Hazlet, N.J.) went 5 for 8 with six runs scored and five runs batted in for the day. Senior second-baseman Ralph Caccavale (Massapequa, N.Y.) picked up two base hits in each game.

The Golden Falcons came from behind in the middle innings of each game. Against Molloy, Felician was the designated home team. Molloy took a 5-1 lead with four  runs in the top of the fourth inning, but the Golden Falcons re-knotted the score with four of their own in the bottom half.

Felician took control with seven runs on six hits in the seventh. Andrew LaMura (Brick, N.J.) gave the Golden Falcons the lead with an RBI double, and Matt Diesel (Massapequa Park, N.Y.) stroked a run-scoring double two batters later. Senior Garrett Luna (Lodi, N.J.) had a run-scoring single during the rally, which was capped by Strickland's two-run triple.

Junior Jesus Colon (Brooklyn, N.Y.) pitched four-plus innings of one-run, two hit relief to earn the victory. Luna was 2 for 4 and Caccavale had a pair of doubles. Kevin Podell (Wantagh, N.Y.) was 3 for 5 with three RBI for the Lions (0-5).

Felician (3-1) scored in seven of its nine offensive innings against Bridgeport (2-1), banging out 20 hits in a game that lasted three hours, 37 minutes. The Golden Falcons trailed, 6-4, after five innings, before striking for six runs in the top of the sixth. A two-run double by LaMura gave Felician the lead, and Matt Kleinstein (Marlboro, N.J.) provided the final two runs of the frame with another double.

LaMura homered and drove in four runs and Jason Polgano (Bronx, N.Y.) tied a Felician record with three doubles. Strickland was 4 for 5 with four runs scored. JanCarlos Brito (West Hempstead, N.Y.) was credited with the pitching victory after completing the fifth inning in relief.

Bridgeport's Chris Troiano (Greenwich, Conn.) was 2 for 3 and drove in three runs.